I once heard a very well-known pastor say that ministry was “so incredibly hard.” He was worn out under the weight of it all. And I wondered if this pastor was maybe unknowingly burning the wick instead of burning the oil. You see, when you light a wax candle, the wax begins to melt and the candle consumes itself as it burns. But, you see, an oil-powered lamp is entirely different. It doesn’t consume itself. It shines as long as there is oil in the lamp. Whenever you start to feel as if the Christian life is utterly exhausting, more often than not, the problem is you’re trying to live it in your own strength. You need to draw closer to Jesus, quit burning the wick, and start burning the oil. It’ll be exhilarating and you’ll feel the power from on high when the Holy Spirit is filling your life and providing the energy. Now that’s REAL HOPE.